Robert Haché, York vice-president research & innovation, has appointed Professors Lisa Philipps and Walter Tholen, as associate vice-presidents research for five-year terms, effective Nov. 1.
“I am delighted that Lisa and Walter have accepted the positions,” said Haché. “York is home to exceptional students, staff and faculty in every discipline. Recognizing our strengths in interdisciplinary and collaborative research, we are developing partnerships and initiatives that will continue to enhance our international research reputation and exploring new ways to showcase the innovative and important work of York’s researchers,” said Haché. “Our new leadership team is ready to move forward on a new and exciting strategic path to build on our research successes.”
In their new roles, Philipps and Tholen will provide leadership in promoting strategic research development at York and lead the development of research policy that bridges the needs of researchers and the institution. They will work with Haché to intensify the services availab
le for all researchers, track York’s research performance more effectively and enlarge the University’s collaborative role with external stakeholders and communities.
Right: Lisa Philipps
Philipps (LLM ’92), served as associate dean research, graduate studies & institutional relations, at York’s Osgoode Hall Law School from 2009 to 2011, and has been on faculty at York since 1996. Prior to that, she held appointments in the faculties of law at the University of Victoria and the University of British Columbia, and has held visiting professorships at Melbourne Law School, University College London and the University of Toronto, among other institutions. Her research focuses on tax law, budgets, and feminist legal studies.
Philipps has participated in several projects funded by the Social Sciences & Humanities Research Council of Canada and has published extensively on topics such as fiscal transparency, tax expenditures, income splitting, gender budgeting, the distributional impact of tax cuts and the tax treatment of unpaid work. She has provided tax policy expertise to parliamentary committees, women’s groups, public agencies and the media. She has been active in York’s senate and its committees and was a member of the White Paper Implementation Committee on Research Intensification at York.
“York University has earned international recognition for excellence in research,” said Philipps. “I am looking forward to working with our exceptional researchers, students and staff, as we continue to promote the vast range of cutting-edge and interdisciplinary research projects at the University.”
Tholen, who received his PhD from the University of Münster and his Habilitation four years later from Fernuniversität Hagen, Germany, has held a number of appointments at York. He has served as associate dean of research and faculty affairs and interim dean in the Faculty of Science & Engineering. Tholen was also chair of the Department of Mathematics & Statistics. He has been on faculty since 1983.
Tholen has also been a visiting professor at numerous institutions, including Max Planck Institute in Bonn, ETH Zürich, University of British Columbia, McGill University, University of Sydney, Hungarian Academy of Sciences, Georgian Academy of Sciences, University of Coimbra, University of L’Aquila and University of Trieste. His general research interests are in category theory and its applications to algebra, topology and computer science. His research examines the establishment of algebraic and topological facts in arbitrary categories, without recourse to sets. His work is published in some 120 research articles and is supported
by the Natural Sciences & Engineering Research Council of Canada.
Right: Walter Tholen
“As the University expands its academic endeavours, this is an exciting time to take on this leadership position at York,” said Tholen. “I am looking forward to working with my colleagues and the York University community to broaden and strengthen the research enterprise at the University.”
Haché added, “Lisa and Walter’s leadership contribution will be essential as we work towards intensifying research at the University, attracting and retaining the world’s best researchers, and building and strengthening new and existing partnerships with industry, government and community organizations to support new collaborative research projects. I look forward to working with them to advance strategic research initiatives at the University.”